Saturday, February 25, 2012

jan.s: Bobi, as I've said before both you and Dinah Lee had 'the London look'
more so than anyone else I can remember in Sydney in the '60s'. In fact you had
your own look...and exuded cool...can you tell us about your interest in
fashion and about the influences of any NZ designers...?

Bobi:We made our own clothes as the Boutiques as such, didn't happen until
1962. Our stores carried great fabrics, and of course you chose the pattern,
and could change things around as you went, of course we loved the mini - it
got more mini by the minute...In Auckland The Casual Shop was really our first
Mod Boutique, but only earning 4 - 5 Pounds a week, could only afford to look
then, or buy on sale.

Dinah hadn't arrived in Auckland, and Jacky Holme and I used to do
summer and winter fashion parades, we had that look.

Bobi, Billy Thorpe, Jacky Holme

Jacky had already cut my
hair into the bob, with huge dressmaking shears - Dinah put that Mod look on the
map here in NZ and of course Oz...too.

The Casual Shop only made 1 of
every garment Diana Colmore-Williams (Owner) helped Dinah to choose, long Mod
Maxi dresses, long shorts with Baby doll tops, shoes we had made in those days
from John Greers in Vulcan Lane.
Mini dresses etc...

My look was always bright, young and cute with hair to
match, the long surfy hair became the Bob, before that backcombed birds nest,
even a Hendrix perm and of course petals... Pointy toe Gamins (shoes)
were terribly us too..

Several other Boutiques sprung up in Auckland, Hadney Five,
the owner worked for The Casual Shop for a while, and moved on...

Arriving back
in Sydney end
of '64, with the clothes I had made, mainly Baby Doll dresses worn with white
tights or lace tights, even bags made in matching fabrics... I started my job
as a House Model.

Still had my own look - Of course you could hear people
laughing out loud in the streets of Auckland and Sydney, or would just stare
and smile.

Di arrived late 1965 to live and The Casual
Shop was yet to open its doors in Sydney...arriving
in 1966 which I managed... Not that I could afford fashion magazines but Mary
Quant was the Mod Queen and I was a follower of her London Look.

The only
other sort of Shop in Sydney was SNOB in the Arcade, between King and Rowe Streets, owned by John and
Merivale that a younger crowd shopped at.. He was very interested in our Shop
on King Street - whenever a new shipment arrived certain customers would be
rung so they could have first choice....and had plenty of $$$ to spend...

As Di arrived with plenty of day wear we just
concentrated on her stage clothes, getting zanier an zanyrr made by The Casual
shop -While England had Mary Quant & the Beatles, NZ had it's own Zany
poppet in the form of Pop Star Dinah Lee....(Copied) from a book.

Bobi with Gene Pitney:

Shifts as
much as 4" above the knee (wow)formed the basis of the Casual Shops range,
trouser suits, jacket and skirts, short stark disco dresses, Bermuda shorts,
beach wear but also it was the tailoring.... The rest is history.....

Jan.s: Who are your favourite NZ designers now?

Bobi: If I am buying these day its certainly Trelise
Cooper, I am more her Cooper range, but I like a longer look. Cant do minis
these days or Maxi's. Also Zambesi, and World Two wonderful Houses of Fashion,
and I appreciate Karen Walker's look and workmanship - Overseas I always go to
Zara, and H & M, they are my style...I love what Muicca Prada does...I so
enjoy a fashion mag from time to time,just to keep up with the play, but
I still have my kinda style.... bright and breezy like me....

Jan.s: Thanks Bob the Mod....you will always be that gal with 'the London look' to me....!

Bobi, Billy Kristian, Dinah Lee at the Vodaphone NZ Music Awards...

All photos Courtesy of and copyright of Bobi Petch unless otherwise credited.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

I have taken the liberty of including excerpts about White Tara from the Wikipedia link as below:

'Tara is a tantric meditation deity whose practice is used by practitioners of the Tibetan branch of Vajrayana Buddhism to develop certain inner qualities and understand outer, inner and secret teachings about compassion and emptiness. Tara is actually the generic name for a set of Buddhas or bodhisattvas
of similar aspect. These may more properly be understood as different
aspects of the same quality, as bodhisattvas are often considered metaphoric for Buddhist virtues.

White Tārā, also known for compassion, long life, healing and serenity; also known as The Wish-fulfilling Wheel, or Cintachakra

As one of the three deities of long life, White Tara/Sarasvati
is associated with longevity. White Tara counteracts illness and thereby
helps to bring about a long life. She embodies the motivation that is
compassion and is said to be as white and radiant as the moon.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

For pals near & far...TUNE IN TONIGHT if you'd like to hear more about my collaborations with & for 'ARTERIAL FLOW'!

'Not to be forgetting - an on air chat this very evening with Janice
Slater talking about her work with Arterial Flow and no doubt much more.
9pm Adelaide time / 9.30pm NSW. 93.7FM locally / www.threedradio.com elsewhere. :)